SAE J578_201902

This SAE Standard defines and provides a means for the control of colors employed in motor vehicle external lighting equipment, including lamps and reflex reflectors. The document applies to the overall effective color of light emitted by the device in any given direction, and not to the color of the light from a small area of the lens. It does not apply to pilot, indicator, or tell-tale lights. There are instances where two distinct lighting functions with different individual colors, when operated simultaneously, may cause confusion in a traffic environment by producing a color of light different than that of either function operated alone. This SAE J578 update provides guidance for device testers and lighting manufacturers on awareness and managing this effect, which can occur during simultaneous operation of multiple lighting functions that are optically combined or separate, but in close proximity. The optically combined situation is addressed in this document, but the close proximity situation is not because present color measurement and optical simulation approaches cannot reliably predict and measure it. The precautions in A.1 were modified and moved to Section 4, because they pertain to color variations likely to occur in optically combined lamps providing multiple lighting functions of differing colors. The title of SAE J774, “Emergency Warning Device and Emergency Warning Device Protective Container,” was updated. The publication number of CFR Title 49 Part 571.125, “Warning Devices, 39 FR 28636, Aug. 9, 1974 as amended at 40 FR 4, Jan. 2, 1975,” was updated. The publication number of CFR Title 49 Part 571.108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment (FMVSS 108),” was updated. A.6, which listed ASTM E308 as a cited publication, was removed, since this document is already referenced in 2.1.3.